Sasha didn't make it
by 1228248
Summary: When Sasha fell, Grime wasn't there to catch her. WARNING: includes a 13 year old committing suicided. crossed posted on A03
1. Chapter 1

**Sasha didn't make it (Part 1 of 7)**

**Warning: includes a 13 year old girl committing suicided. **

"Hay Anne? Mabey your better off without me." After speaking those fateful words, Sasha let go of her best friends' hand and fell.

A loud "NO" echoed across the collapsing tower as Anne reached helplessly towards Sasha's falling body.

All that could go through Anne's mind at that moment was "This isn't happing, this isn't happening this isn't happening, this isn't hap-"

CRACK

Sasha lay on the ground of the ruined tower's courtyard, a pool of blood forming around her broken body. She looked like a small broken doll from where Anne knelt, shocked and not processing what just happened.

"No…, No, No, No, SHASHA" She quickly got up and ran full tilt towards the stairs, leaving the Planters in her wake before they realized what had happened themselves.

Sprig was the first to snap to action. "Anne, wait up." And he began to race after her as fast as he could go. Hop-Pop picked up a shell-shocked Polly and began to follow as fast as he could.


	2. Chapter 2

**Sasha didn't make it (part 2 of 7)**

When Sprig emerged from the door to the tower, the first thing he saw was Anne kneeling in the growing pool of Sasha's blood, franticly trying to bandage up the wounds her body with the cloak thrown at her earlier.

"You're going to be ok Sasha; I can fix this. I just need you to wake up so I can better help you." Sprig coughed and Anne looked up with a tear stained face. Sprig! Good, you're here. I need you to get Tuti the healer. Sasha is badly hurt and needs medical attention now! I'll do what I can in the meantime, but we need a doctor!"

Sprig didn't know much about medicine, especially when it came to humans, but he was pretty sure that Sasha was already dead. He moved closer to Sasha checked her pulse by her neck. "Sprig, I don't need help with this, I need you to go get Tuti or Hop-Pop over here to help me fix Sasha!"

Sprig removed his hand from the silent throat of Sasha and then took off his goggles. He then held one of the lenses under her nostrils and watched for mist appearing to signal breathing and saw none.

"SPRIG! Stop fooling around and go get Sasha help!"

Sprig removed the goggles from Sasha's face and closed his eyes, mentally preparing himself for the incredibly difficult task he was about to perform.

"Anne, there's nothing they can do. She's dead."

Anne looked up from Sash with a manic expression on her face. "No, she's not. She's just unconscious from the fall. Just because a frog would die from this doesn't mean a human would. You just don't understand human biology enough to tell. Now stop being silly and go get help."

"I might not know that much about how human bodies work, but I know enough to know that if you have no pulse, aren't breathing, and are bleeding a lot, your dead."

"She's not breathing?" Anne then moved her head to Sasha's and started mouth-to-mouth. "Come on Sasha, your too tough to go like this! Just start breathing!"

Sprig felt a hand on his shoulder and looked up at Hop-Pop with an expression that silently asked him for help. Hop-Pop nodded and handed Polly over to Sprig and the three of them headed over to Anne desperately trying to save the life of a corps.

Hop-Pop gently put a hand on Anne's shoulder and said in a soft voice "Anne, let me take a look at her now."

Anne immediately moved out of the way and watched as Hop-Pop did the same checks that Sprig did just moments before. After checking for breathing, Hop-Pop stood up and looked at Anne with tears in his eyes and shock his head at the unanswered question.

"No" Anne quietly replied. "No, No, No, she can't be dead! You must have just missed the pulse. Check again."

"Sprig already checked before I did. I'm sorry Anne, but there is nothing we can do."

Anne collapsed to her bloodstained knees with a shocked expression. "She's, she's really, She's…"

Hop-Pop, Sprig, and Polly all moved in together to give Anne an all-encompassing hug. "It's going to be ok Anne. It's going to be ok."

Anne couldn't hold it back anymore. She grabbed her frog family in her large arms and started balling her eyes out.

**AN: someone asked if I was going to continue this, so I'm stating here for the record that this will be a 7 part series updated on wednesdays.**


	3. Chapter 3

**Sasha didn't make it (Part 3 of 7)**

When the frogs saw Anne approached the confiscated "party wagon" carrying the still form of Sasha while flanked by the Planters, they were a little upset but kept their voices low. Their dislike of Sasha was outweighed by their respect for Anne. If she wanted to bring Sasha back and take care of her, they would not like it, but they would keep their grievances to themselves.

As they approached however, it became clear that Sasha wasn't simply unconscious. A Silence weighed down by the realization of what had happened spread across every frog gathered there. A few tried to offer condolences, but Anne either didn't hear them or didn't care.

The only one who didn't say anything was Wally, who hid in the very back of the wagon, as far from Anne and the other Planters as he could.

As the wagon moved towards Wartwood, the others started to stop attempting to talk to Anne, though they did sometimes offer a hand on the shoulder as a sign of support.

Once the town had been reached, Anne walked out with the Planters following in silence. Hop-Pop was the first to say something since they left the tower. "were going to have to lay her to rest soon. I wouldn't be good for her, or us, if we just leave her lying on the ground somewhere. We have a graveyard if that's what humans do with their, loved ones. We also have the traditional method of letting them float down the water carried by the currents or leaving them far out in the woods to lure predators away..."

"Cremation"

Hop-Pop stopped in his tracts at the sound of Anne's broken voice. The first word he had heard from her in an hour. "I'm sorry, what was that Anne. My ears aren't as good as they once were."

Anne looked up from the ground and straight at Hop Pop. "one of the ways humans do this is by burning and keeping ashes in a jar. Can that be done?"

Hop-Pop looked thoughtful for a moment, then nodded. "Yes, we can do that. Not something that's done often because it's so wet around here, but we have done that on occasion for victims of disease or frogs who want to have a very dramatic funeral." He then pointed in the direction of the graveyard. "We can keep her in the caretakers building until we get together enough wood to light a bonfire. We should be able to get that done by tomorrow at the latest."

Anne just nodded her head and walked towards the direction Hop-Pop pointed, eyes downcast once again.


	4. Chapter 4

**Sasha Didn't make it (Part 4 of 7)**

**AN: warning, this gets really emotional and some of my own conflicting feelings towards Sasha are shown here.**

Anne was left alone with Sasha's body inside the small house of the caretaker Nexton, a small, grey frog that seemed older than Ms. Croker and walked with a shovel as a cane. Hop-Pop, Polly, and Sprig had gone out with some of the other townspeople to gather some wood for the service. Nexton had stayed originally, but he left to start on his rounds.

Now, Anne just sat staring at Sasha's cloth covered body with no idea what she should be doing. Eventually, she began to speak.

"you were my best friend. Heck, you were my only friend until I met Marcy through you. If it wasn't for you, I would still be that weird tai kid sitting in the back of the classroom because no one wanted to talk to her."

Anne then began to smile. "Eight years, for over half my life you were my best friend. You helped me have fun, you protected me from bullies, and you pushed me to be to better."

She then lowered her head to face the floor. "You also pushed me to do things that were wrong. Graffiti, skipping school, breaking out while grounded because I skipped school, stealing. You even toke my shoes because you thought they looked good."

The ground Anne was looking at started to get a little muddy from the tears streaming down her face. "you were somehow a bad friend and a good friend all at the same time, and I know that's a contradiction but it's true all the same."

"You help me with obvious bullies, and you bullied me in subtle ways."

Anne stood up. "You push me to take risks, and you push me to do things that were wrong."

She looked right a Sasha's body. "you make a deal with a monster to find a way for us to get home, and you were willing to sentence someone to die to make that happen."

She yelled at the top of her voice. "YOU TRIED TO KILL MY NEW BEST FRIEND IN FROMT OF ME, AND THEN SACRIFIED YOURSELF TO SAME MINE!"

Anne just stood there staring right at Sasha, as if her force of will alone would be enough to force the silent corpse to explain itself.

"I don't know what to think about you anymore. I don't even know what our relationship was. Was I your best friend, just a friend, some cute puppy you liked and let follow you around everywhere, or just some puppet you liked to make dance?"

She kept staring at her for a minute, before collapsing into her chair again. "I don't know if you're a good person or a bad person anymore. Maybe you were both. Heh, I guess we have that in common."

Knock-knock-knock

Hop-Pop opened the door and pocked his head in. "Hay Anne, we got everything ready for the cremation. Are you ready or should we put it off for tomorrow?"

Anne turned to look at Hop-Pop. "Already? I though you said we would only be able of doing the service tomorrow."

"We lucked out and found a whole lot of dried wood by a beaver Dam. They will use their breath to dry some of the wood they use to make the inside areas of their homes more comfortable and keep a stockpile to use as firewood to keep themselves warm during…"

It was at this point that Hop-Pop noticed the look Anne had on her face. "Right, not the time. Well, the question remains. Do you want it today or tomorrow?"

Anne was quiet for a few moments before answering. "just give me a minute to finish my goodbyes and we will be right out."

Hop-Pop just nodded and closed the door behind him.

Anne turned back towards Sasha and began speaking again. "I don't know what to think about you anymore. I guess there is only one thing I can do now."

She stepped forward and placed a hand on Sasha's shoulder. "Sasha, thank you for being a friend to me. I don't know if all the good you did for me can outweigh all the bad, but all of what you did lead me hear. To Wartwood, with the Planters. I wouldn't have traded meeting them for the world.


	5. Chapter 5

**Sasha didn't make it (5 out of 7)**

The service was a nice one, all things considered.

Everyone in town had come out to show support to Anne. The local religious leader said a few words that were amended to fit the fact it was for a frog and not a human. Before they lit the funeral pyre, they asked Anne if she had any final words to say.

"I said everything I wanted to her already. Thank you for the offer though."

The fire was then lit, and the ashes gathered into a very plain looking urn with only Sasha's name on it, which was given to Anne.

After the service the planters went home, with Anne going directly into the basement and placing the urn on a shelf.

She then just sat on her bed and stared at it.

Eventually, a knock came on the door before Sprig came down, lugging something long wrapped in rags behind him.

"Hay Anne, how are you doing?"

She just stared at Sprig for a few moments in response.

"Right, sorry. It's a standard question." Sprig then brought up the object he was carrying and showed it to her. "I found this as we were leaving the tower. I wasn't sure what to do with it, so I decided to give it to you."

Anne picked it up and unwrapped it. The first thing she noticed was the flamingo design on the hilt.

"It's Sasha's sword. The one she had at the tower." Sprig supplied as he nervously looked at his feet. "I don't know what you want done with it, but that choice should definitely by yours to make."

Anne just kept staring at the sword in her hands. Her emotions whirling all around her, too chaotic and unpredictable for her to nail down and describe to anyone.

Eventually she was able to mutter a Thanks. Sprig just nodded his head and turned to leave, stopping just short of the door before turning back around. "Is there anything I can do?"

Anne just shook her head without ever raising her eyes from the sword blade.

"Ok, if you can think of anything, just let me know." He then left the room, but also left the door open.

Anne kept on sitting there holding the sword of her fallen, she didn't know. Friend? Enemy? friendamy? Manipulator? Was there a word in either the English or Tai languages that could describe their relationship?

That though along with thousands of others swarmed her mind for hours before Hop-Pop knocked on her door.

"Anne? It's time for Dinner."

At those words Anne's stomach decided to remind Anne that she hadn't had anything to eat since her dinner the previous night with -.

"I'm not hungry." She lied unconvincingly. Hop-Pop just looked at her at for a minute trying to figure out a way to breach the incredibly delicate topic. Eventually he just walked down the stairs and sat on the bed next to her.

"I was about Polly's age when my grandparents died." He started with in a melancholy voice that dragged eyes away from the sword to a very sad looking Hop-Pop. "They were eaten by a Heron. They were standing in front of me one second, and then just one bite and they were gone." Hop-Pop chuckled darkly for a moment. "At least it was painless and quick, or at least that is what I told myself at the time."

He then started looking down at the floor before speaking again. "It wasn't the first death in the village, just the first death of frogs I had seen right in front of me. Not to mention it was of people I cared deeply about." Hop-Pop turned to look at Anne with sad eyes. "I'm guessing this is the first time you had to deal with someone you know dying?" She nodded her head. "I'm sorry about that Anne. The first one is always the hardest. For a long while you will be reminded of her all the time. Mabey its by doing something you used to do with her, maybe it's by doing something that has no relation to her at all. These memories will come crashing into your life like a Rhino beetle hopped up on gourd tea.

"Or they may not. Greif is very complicated and almost imposable to categorize into little boxes. The only thing I can really tell you with any real certainty is that you are not alone. Every single frog, toad, newt, and axolotl in this village has had to deal with what you are dealing with now. If you want to talk with someone, you have a whole village willing to listen and offer advice. If you want, I can give you some more right now."

Anne gave a small, sad smile before answering. "Sure."

"Ok, here it is. Keeping yourself locked un in a basement and letting yourself waste away isn't a good way with dealing with grief. You can eat dinner with us, eat it here in your room, or even eat it with Bessie." Anne chuckled a little at that last comment. "I know that last one isn't a good idea, but it is still on the list of possibilities for several practical reason. Also, it got you to laugh, which is always a big plus."

Hop-Pop got off the bed and stood before Anne. "So where would you like to eat tonight Anne?"

Anne looked at the sword beside her on the bed before turning back to Hop-Pop. "I think I will eat down here tonight, but tomorrow I'll try to have breakfast with my frog family."

He nodded at that. "Sounds like a good plan. I'll bring some down for you in a minute and let the kids know what's happening."

As he turned away, Anne placed a hand on his shoulder to stop him. "No, I'll come up and get it myself. And tell the others about this."

With a smile on his warty face, Hop-Pop toke Anne's hand and helped her up from the bed she had been sitting on for hours. "That sounds great Anne. Let's hope Polly and Sprig haven't eaten all the pill bug pancakes while we were down here."

"Pancakes for dinner? Thanks HP."

As Hop-Pop let the nickname slide this once, the two walked out of the basement, leaving a pink sword lying on the bed and a simple urn in a place of prominence on a shelf on the wall.


	6. Chapter 6

**Sasha didn't make it (part 6)**

**AN: happy day before Thanksgiving everyone! unless you're like my family that's celebrating Thanksgiving the day before so more people can make it, in which case happy Thanksgiving.**

3 weeks later

Wally gulped nervously as he walked towards the Planter's farm. His one good eye dodged around as he searched for Anne. The only ones he could see were Sprig and Hop-Pop pulling weeds from the turnup patch. He walked over to them and waved nervously.

"Hay Hopadiah, is Anne around? I need to talk to her about something."

Hop-Pop stud up from where he was working and stretched out his back in a loud sounding crack before sighing in relief.

"No, she's out taking Polly to Tuti for a checkup. They should be back soon though, if you want to wait for them."

Wally seemed hesitant at hearing that answer, as if he couldn't decide himself whether he wanted to wait for them. Eventual he gave a sigh in defeat before responding.

"Sure. Is it ok if I just sit on your porch until they return?"

"Fine with me. Just please, for the love of Frog, don't play the accordion while you wait. I've got a migraine the size of Mayor Toadstool and the last thing I need is your music to aggravate it."

Wally looked down before answering. "Don't worry Hopadiah, I didn't bring my accordion with me today. I wanted to have a straight heart to heart conversation with Anne without any distraction."

As Hop-Pop watched Wally walk over to the porch, he couldn't help but marvel at how serious he was being. He just sat down on the porch and stared down the road without cracking a smile, singing a song, or doing anything even remotely Wally-like.

He stayed like that for a full hour before Anne came back with Polly in her arms and sprouting a black eye.

"Polly! I can't believe you did that to Anne!" yelled Sprig in shock. "You can forget that second half of the bribe I gave you after this."

"Still think taking Polly to the healer is a easier job then doing chores here Anne?"

She just smiled at Hop-Pop's 'told you so' comment and Sprig's 'overprotective friend/brother' reaction. "Actually, Polly did great. We went to Tuti, did the check up, and left without her doing anything other than complaining and threatening Bodily harm to Tuti. And that was only after she mentioned that she would need a shot.

Tuti was having a large mosquito dip its proboscis into a large jar of a light green colored goo and taking a big gulp.

"Um, Tuti? Are you sure that this is safe? I mean, having a giant mosquito throw up inside of you doesn't exactly seem that healthy. In fact, I'm pretty sure that your supposed to not let these things bite you."

"For humans, Mabey. For Frogs, won't hurt at all."

Polly was giving Tuti a death glare right now. "Anne won't get hurt. You on the other flipper will be begging for mercy if you try to stick that in me."

Anne visibly shuddered as she recalled what had happened. "The eye is where a ball Ivy was playing with wacked me by accident."

Sprig looked ashamed at that revelation. "Ah, sorry about that Polly. I should have known that you wouldn't have hurt Anne" He then gave Polly a bag bigger than she was. "Here you go."

Polly gave Sprig a large smile. "Apology accepted big brother." Then she grabbed the candy and hopped out of Anne's hands before moving fare enough away that no one would be caught by shrapnel and then proceeded to utterly devour the candy with ruthless efficiency.

As everyone present (except for Hop-Pop and Wally, who both had seen things more traumatizing) watched the ferocity and destruction wrecked by the little ball of death, Wally walked over to Anne and tugged on her sleeve.

"Hay Anne, can we talk for a minute? In privet?"

Anne ripped her eyes away from Polly and turned to look at wally, finally noticing that he was there. The first thing about him that she noticed was the sorrow and gloominess that seemed to radiate from him.

"Sure Wally, let's go inside."


	7. Chapter 7

**Sasha didn't make it (Part 7)**

**AN: this will be the last chapter. I might come back later and have here talk to others about this, but I doubt it. Thank you for following me through my first multi-part (and completed) fan-fic that wasn't a omake or one-shot.**

Anne and Wally sat together in the living room in silence for a few minutes before Wally started to speak.

"I wanted to apologize. I know I should have done this earlier, but I was scared about how you would react."

Wally then toke a deep breath before Blurting out "I'msorryIkilledSasha!"

As Wally sat in his chair cringing behind his outstretched hands, Anne just sat there staring at him with a blank expression. When He finally opened his eye and saw that Anne wasn't doing anything, he decided to keep talking.

I planted the boom-shroom that blew up the tower. If it wasn't for me, your friend would still be alive. Heh, when I went over that night again in my head, I realized you were telling me specifically not to do it. Not some 'wink wink' don't do it, but a full on 'it's a bad idea' don't do it.

"So, I'm sorry. I know it doesn't make up for what I did, but I hope it can at least be a start."

Anne just sat there, still with a blank look on her face. Looking right at a Wally coted in despair and staring at the floor like it was about to swallow him up. They just sat there like that for a while, before Anne finally broke the silence.

"Do you specifically know how she died?"

He shook his head no. He knew she died in the tower, but not if she just fell or got crushed by debris.

She then told him what happened.

It was a long telling, broken up by Anne's crying and finally capped by her balling like a 6-month old who at the end. Wally just sat in his chair during this, not sure if he should try to comfort her or if that would just make it worse. Eventually Anne calmed herself down enough to continue the conversation.

"I wanted to blame you for that, I tried to blame you for that. I tried so hard, but I can't.

"If you didn't plant those shrooms, then Grime would have killed Hop-Pop. Heck, he might have killed others as well."

This dumbstruck Wally. She was right, because he planted the bombs and accidently saved Sasha, he had saved Hopadiah and maybe others as well.

The worse part was that it didn't make him feel any better.

"I don't know if I can forgive you for what you did, But I do know I can't hate you for your actions."

She then stood up and looked at Wally. "Thank you for saving Hop-Pop, but I don't think I can be around you right now. If I can get my emotions straightened out enough to be around you, I will come to you."

Wally stood and nodded in understanding. "Good-bye Anne, see you around." He then walked out the door, and as he closed the door behind him, he heard a small 'goodbye' from Anne.


End file.
